The Best Thing About Tonight
by cORGIS
Summary: Peter loves Gwen, and clearly, Gwen loves Peter. Based on the recent explosion of Spidey Gwen.
1. Kiss Me Goodbye

If there is one thing that Peter Parker knows, it's that he loves Gwen Stacy. He's admired her sharp intellect and subtle beauty from afar long before he'd learnt her name, and the moment she'd asked his name in class, he'd known that this infatuation was more than a simple high school crush.

When Peter works up the courage to ask her out, he's never been so ecstatic to hear the word "yes."

* * *

Peter loves Gwen. Which is why he feels like absolute shit when he brushes off Gwen's comforts after his uncle's death. He can't do this right now—he can't listen to people's apologies, their "sorry for your loss"es, because he still hasn't quite excepted the fact that this is real, that his uncle is actually gone.

He makes a mental note to apologize when he's not busy holding back tears.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen. He does his best to remind himself of this when Miss Stacy comes stumbling in through his bedroom window, wearing a rather familiar looking spider-themed costume. He's pretty sure that, when he sees it on the news, it doesn't have a giant blood stain directly in the center of its stomach, and it occurs to him that this addition to the white spandex is provided by the claw marks that line Gwen's abdomen.

He cleans her wounds in a daze, taking his sweet time in letting it sink in that he, the boy that can barely tie his shoelaces correctly, is dating Spider-Woman.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen. He repeats this phrase over and over again in his head as the antidote to Dr. Connor's bio-toxin is preparing. When Gwen calls to tell him that he's in trouble, he evacuates the faculty of OsCorp and waits with anxious twitches for the serum to finish. He nearly has a heart attack when the scientist turned giant lizard comes barging into the lab, and he runs like the devil is on his heels out of OsCorp, blue capsule in hand.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, and while he hadn't known Captain Stacy all that well prior to his passing, he goes to his funeral nonetheless, for Gwen's sake. He's sure that she will tear herself apart, tell herself that his death had been her fault and no one else's, and he wishes to prevent as many of those thoughts and hardships as is possible, because he knows what it's like. Despite his kind thoughts and actions, all she does is push him away when he tries to comfort her, spouting some nonsense about how she can't let him get hurt as well, because she can't take the death of someone else she so deeply cares about.

Peter doesn't like it, but he respects her wishes after about an hour of argument on the topic.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, but he can't stand this constant on and off relationship they've got going. He wishes that Gwen would just end it and keep it that way if that's what she wants, because he hates that he keeps getting his hopes up only to be disappointed once again. When Gwen bars his way from the graduation dinner that she had invited him to, he can't take it anymore. He leaves with teary eyes and the promise that he's not coming back.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, but when he's offered a scholarship at Oxford, he knows that he has to go. Gwen is meant for great things, but she can't focus on those things with him around. Peter is distracting Gwen and he knows it, and he thinks that it might be better for him to cut their ties quickly and easily, to avoid unnecessary heartbreak.

He finds this idea about 80 times harder when Gwen calls and asks to see him, looking absolutely stunning as per the norm.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, which is why he can't tell his best friend that he can get Spider-Woman's blood for him. It hurts him immensely to see that pained look in bright blue eyes, hurts him so much that he gives in and tells the other that he'll see what he can do. He doesn't want to see Harry die, but he's not sure what Gwen's blood will do to his friend, and he'd rather have a dying Harry Osborn than a super-powered Harry Osborn, because if there's anything he knows about his best friend, it's that power will corrupt him. He can't do that to Harry, and he can't do that to New York, so he leaves OsCorp with a heavy heart.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, but after more of the back and forth nature of their relationship, he's had enough. He packs his bags and says his goodbyes to a teary-eyed Aunt May, waving down a taxi as he attempts to call Gwen. The call goes straight to voice-mail and he leaves a long message, biting his lip every time he pauses. An awkward goodbye at best, he thinks, but it will have to do. He can't hold Gwen back anymore, and she can't hold him back, either.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, and clearly, Gwen loves Peter. She's written it in webbing on the side of the George Washington Bridge, announced it to all of New York City. Peter can't help but to feel himself swell and he nearly bursts as Gwen swings down to scoop him from the bridge. He's always hated heights, but he can't really complain when he's making out with New York's hero in what's possibly the most terrifyingly romantic place possible.

He can complain, however, when all of the lights in the city go out.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, but he's about ready to tear her head off for leaving him stuck to that damn cop car. He crashes through the gate to the power plant and rams the car into the blue asshole that caused this whole damn mess in the first place. Once he's out of the way, he storms over to Gwen and yells, ignoring her comments of how serious this is and how he absolutely cannot be here right now. Once she realizes that Peter doesn't plan on leaving any time soon she agrees to let him stay, but only on the condition that he'll do whatever she says needs to be done, when she says it needs to be done.

Peter doesn't mind, because this is how things usually are in their relationship.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, and he hesitates briefly when Gwen tells him to reroute the electricity that powers the city because the love of his life is directly in the crossfire of the thousands of volts that are about to course through those giant wires, but he knows that there's no other choice. He activates the power and winces when Gwen is thrown away from the cables like a ragdoll, moving as fast as his awkwardly long legs could carry him once the coast is clear. He helps Gwen up and starts to laugh a tired, tired laugh, but another, more sinister chuckle overtakes his own.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, but he hates himself. For letting Harry come to this, for not trying to find some other way to help him. He clings to the monster that was once his best friend for dear life, and he tries to talk him out of whatever it is he plans on doing, but all Harry does is yell when Peter says his name. He hears Gwen call out from far below, begging Harry to let Peter go. A quiet agreement leaves Harry's mouth, and then Peter is falling. All he can do is reach for Gwen when she jumps to catch him, and he feels her twist her body so that she's the one to hit the glass and not her boyfriend. She lowers Peter down to one of the cogs below to keep him out of harms way, and he watches helplessly as his best friend and his girlfriend duke it out above him.

Gwen knocks Harry off of his glider, which falls down and crashes into the gears that Peter currently stands on, and he feels them give out beneath him. Gwen catches him with ease as he starts to fall, and Harry throws all of his weight onto the heroine. Peter feels himself drop a few feet and holds onto the webbing that's connected to his hand for dear life. He sees the mechanism continue to work and it slices through an iron pipe with ease. He knows what's going to happen as soon as Gwen jams her foot in between the teeth of two gears, and he's able to take in a single breath before the webbing snaps.

* * *

Peter loves Gwen, and he thinks that, regardless of all the heartache and hurt and death that's followed the pair along their little journey, he'd do it all again. He knows that Gwen will blame herself for all of this, and he wishes there's some way he could comfort her, some way he could let her know that none of this is her fault. He wants to hold her one last time, to run his hands through her hair and breath her in, but he knows that this sight, the sight of Gwen diving after him without hesitation, her webbing connecting with his abdomen, will be his last.

And really, he thinks as his support pulls taut, he's okay with that.


	2. Long After You're Gone

Gwen loves Peter, though, she doesn't know that at first. Those first few days she had seen him about the school, he hadn't really stuck out to her. It isn't until Flash decides it's a good idea to pick on him, until she has asked him his name, until he has caught her sneaking about Oscorp and has sent her home. She feels something odd about this one, something different about this "Peter Benjamin Parker." Maybe it's just the shock of being bitten by a radioactive spider.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, she knows this when the word "yes" leaves her mouth so quickly that it practically gives her whiplash when he asks her out on a date.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, though she knows he doesn't want to show it at his Uncle Ben's funeral. How she tries each time, to comfort him, no matter how many times he pushes her away. He can't do, and all she can do is wait and let time heal.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, and she remembers this all throughout the fight with what remained of Doctor Connors and the struggle to flee to safety. Peter is that safety, helping her as she crawls through the window into his bedroom. Cleaning her wound and even protecting her, when Aunt May came and offered him a cup of hot chocolate. Chocolate house? She'd remember that for later on.

Her secret is out, now-all she can do is hope that Peter doesn't mind dating Spider-Woman.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, even when he hangs up on her when she warns him to leave the Oscorp building immediately. She reminds herself again when he comes out with the blue capsule in hand, and thanks whatever god there is that he hadn't listened to her.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, and she knows how rude is being in brushing him off, but she can't do it. Not now, not for a long time, not after her father's death. After her reckless actions, putting her boyfriend, her father, her family in danger.

She can't hurt them, she can't let them get involved, she promises herself she won't put them in harm's way again.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter-she loves him too much to keep that promise.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, but this off and on relationship is growing tiresome. Breaking down into tears, every time she has to come and face him, crying as she recalls that last gruesome moment of her father's life. She doesn't know how long she can do this, loving him-because doing so only puts him in life-threatening danger.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter and when she hears of his possible acceptance to Oxford she can barely stand the idea. Being forced to leave the scene quickly, she rushes to Time Square to deal with more pressing matters before confronting Peter again. England? Really?

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, which is why when she informed of Harold Osborn's-Peter's best friend's-condition, she takes the weight off his shoulders, and decides on her own to confront the CEO.

She tells him she can't help him, not now, maybe not for a while. Things are too risky, and if something goes wrong he could die. She knows the truth, though; her blood is a weapon, and in the wrong hands, can cause a war.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, but she can't stand it-the voicemail, leaving without even stopping to see her. The thought of never seeing Peter again is almost unbearable.

She rushes to the find him, webbing the words "I love you," into the George Washington Bridge. She has to let all of New York City know of the love she holds for Peter Parker, or else she's sure she won't be able to get the message across. She can only hope as she swings down across the bridge and scoops him up that he won't be mad.

She can't let him go, she won't let him go, not without him knowing. It isn't the most romantic spot, but it may as well be the only place with some privacy in all of New York.

Their time (and kiss) is cut short as the entire city goes dark.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, and she has to keep herself from screaming, yelling at him when follows her to the power plant, even after she had glued him to a patrol car with her web shooters. He can't be here, he shouldn't be here, he is in danger, though even after giving up on the argument, she's grateful he is there to help her with rerouting the power.

She can feel her entire body aching in pain, the noise from the bast even taking her hearing away from her. It isn't until she feels the comfort of his arms does she realized it is done, the blue skinned electricity wielding human no more.

The real battle, however, is far from over.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter, and now she feels like the damsel. Harry Osborn is flying high above her head, high enough to prevent her web shooters from even touching him. She yells, screams, almost to the point of begging, for the green skinned monster to let him go, and even when he does, she nearly has a heart attack, as she jumps high into the air, turning and spinning, making sure it's she who lands against the gears of the clock tower and not her beautiful, wonderful, breakable Peter.

* * *

Gwen loves Peter.

Gwen loves Peter.

Gwen loves Peter.

It is the only thing keeping her going, keeping her fighting. She can't loose, she won't loose. And its what drives her, it's what forces her to jump, it's what forces her to catch him at any cost.

* * *

Gwen loved Peter. There was so much that they were supposed to do together. They were supposed to move in together, to have kids together, to have stupid fights over who ate the last popsicle. They were supposed to grow old together-they were supposed to die together. Gwen lets her tears flow freely as she sets Peter's body down gently, as if it will make him suffer less. She pulls on her mask and flips up her hood, closing her eyes as she pulls herself up to the top of the clock tower.

Peter Parker is dead, and with him went part of Gwen Stacy.


	3. Time Must Go On

There's one thing Harry knows for sure, and that's that he doesn't want to leave. He has friends, he is happy. Still, Dad wants him to go to a special school to give him the best education possible. That's good, right?

It doesn't take him long to realize that Norman just wants him out of his life.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, and that is that he is going to finish this entire bottle of scotch tonight if it kills him. With his luck, it most likely will. With compliments, Norman Osborn. Words had never seemed so cold to him. He sits on the bed of this dorm room, praying to God his roommate won't come in and see him like this. With shaking hands, he tosses the bottle back, taking the last swig.

He loves the feeling. He doesn't have a care in the world after that last sip. He is flying.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, and that is the fact he doesn't expect to feel upset when he first sees Norman lying there, the life slowly draining out of him. It only takes one sentence out of that bastard's mouth to remind Harry of how much he hates him.

That's when he finds out he's dying. That's when he feels like he's falling.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, and that is he couldn't be more grateful to see his old best friend, with the same dorky glasses that he had left him with. That day becomes one of the first days of true relaxation and happiness he's felt in a while. Even when they discuss how they both got dumped, or when they have a slight disagreement over this Spider-Woman character, he feels happy.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, this Spider-Woman could save his life. His face lights up as he stands from his desk, reading over closely the files on Project Double Zero. As his assistant walks in, Harry walks right over to her and kisses her cheek, not caring what happens next. Before he knows it, however, Felicia is kissing him and he's kissing back, he caught up in the excitement of being alive and she caught up in her own curiosity of her boss.

He's on top of the world, that Harry Osborn. He's going to live.

* * *

Harry knows one thing- at least he thought he did. He thought he knew what friends were supposed to do for each other. He thought he knew who his friends were. He now thinks differently. Peter knows her, Harry's sure of it. Why is Peter hesitating? Doesn't he realize that this could save his life? He pleads and pleads for some kind of assistance. He doesn't care about the risks; he's going to die anyway. When his friend agrees, Harry couldn't feel any more relieved. Peter was going to save him, because that's what friends do, right? They help each other?

He meets Gwen Stacy that day too. She's there to see Peter. He knows she will help Peter see. Something about her just feels comforting to Harry. He knows she has a good heart. He will live.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, and that is that Spider-Woman is a fraud. A liar and a fraud. She's selfish. She's too worried about what might come back to her. She betrayed him. How was he any different than the normal person she saves on the streets every day? She's a fraud. A fraud. No one can help him, only he can help himself. Nothing can save him. He's as good as dead.

* * *

Harry knows one thing: he has never been more in love with someone than he is right now. Felicia Hardy is the greatest thing to ever happen to him. Special Projects. That can save him. He will do whatever it takes to get in. This spider venom will work. He will live.

In the act of saving his own life, he creates another. One he will regret later, but sure as hell doesn't regret now.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, and that is the fact that he has never felt so much raw power and exhilarating energy run through his veins. God, did it feel good. It comes crashing down as his eyes graze upon the one person he called his friend. The one person who makes him feel safe. The one person who even tries to understand him. Peter Parker. His eyes then shift to the bug, the menace. Then it hits him hard. Spider-Woman is Gwen Stacy.

Peter and Gwen never wanted to help him. They didn't try- They didn't want to. His brain whirls in chaotic disarray, trying to make sense of the mess in front of him. They didn't even try. That's when it becomes clear to him. They need to feel the pain, the suffering of dying. He can't kill Gwen, but he can kill Peter.

* * *

Harry knows one thing, but as Peter drops from his hands at his own request, what he knows changes. He knows that Gwen Stacy must feel his pain. As the spider makes him fall from his glider, he hears the sound of the gears shattering beneath the feet of Peter. As Gwen catches the victim, Harry gives her the satisfaction just for a moment that she might be capable of saving a life. Oh, what a sweet feeling it must be to save a life. She could have felt it earlier, but instead, she chose not to. How unfair life can be. Harry slams his whole weight into her. Now she'll never know that feeling.

Right before he goes unconscious, Harry feels the sharp pang of guilt hit his gut. There is no going back at this point. His last thought before darkness is that he doesn't care anymore. He is alive, and that is all that matters.

* * *

Harry knows one thing about the death of Peter Parker. Time must go on.


End file.
